


We ride and never worry about the fall

by FiKate



Category: 3:10 to Yuma (2007), Milliways, Slither (2006)
Genre: Community: milliways_bar, Gen, Guns, Injury, Law Enforcement, Male Friendship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-05-20
Updated: 2012-05-20
Packaged: 2017-11-05 16:17:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 681
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/408457
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FiKate/pseuds/FiKate
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>William rides out as a deputy but things don't go as planned. Bill finds him when he ends up back in Milliways. Title from Tim McGraw's <i>The Cowboy in Me.</i><br/>Written as a gift for thebattycakes who requested William, Bill <i>tin star badges and gold shields</i>. </p><p>  <i>It didn’t seem like much to represent that they were both the law, yet it was enough to have folks shoot at them just for wearing it.</i></p>
            </blockquote>





	We ride and never worry about the fall

William felt like he was going to fall off his horse, the bullet in his arm was a constant pain with every step his horse took. He’d dressed it as best he could but the nearest towns were twenty miles away and the man he was chasing had a fresher horse. There was water in his canteen but getting to it made his arm bleed again. At least the dust cloud in front of him didn’t seem to be moving any faster, it just kept moving. He focused on that shape ahead of him and thought back to the dead bodies around the stage, they hadn’t needed to kill everyone.

William winced as the ground under his horses’ hooves changed from sand to Milliways’ damp soil and once he reached the stables stopped. The pain was harder to ignore when he wasn’t on the trail and the ground seemed a long way down. He bit his lip when someone took his horse’s reins and he recognized Bill’s voice saying, “William, we’re goin’ to get you takin’ care of.”

Strong arms were holding him but he wasn’t sure who else was there, so he tried to not pass out. When they were in the infirmary and the doctor started looking over his arm he said, “Just patch it up and let me get goin’ again. Can’t lose him.”

Things got quiet before anyone answered him and Bill said, “You won’t lose him. Just let the doc help you out and you’ll get better.”

He took a long breath, he wanted to be out on the trail but he needed this, so closed his eyes as the doctor put him under to dig out the bullet.

Bill hated waiting and this time felt wrong, William was just a kid, he wasn’t supposed to get shot. As he paced he noticed William’s jacket, there had been a glint of something on it that he’d meant to go check. Now he turned the lapel and saw a tin star, carefully he unpinned it and sat down staring at the star. It was so light, it looked like the toys he used to play with not a real badge. He unhooked his own badge from his jacket and held them both in his hands, the weight was different and the look; a star that seemed like tin and a gold shield. It didn’t seem like much to represent that they were both the law, yet it was enough to have folks shoot at them just for wearing it.

Soon the doctors got William into a bed and he seemed to be sleeping peacefully, Bill sat down beside him, still holding the two badges. He knew William was young but asleep, he didn’t look like he should be holding a gun let alone being a lawman. Things were different back then, you didn’t have to go to an academy, but it still bothered Bill, William was just a kid. He should be worrying about going on dates and planning his life not bleeding out for justice and working himself to the bone for his family.

William stirred in his sleep and started to try and roll onto his hurt side and Bill put the badges down to stop him and said, “Hey, don’t do that, it’ll hurt more.”

At Bill’s voice, William stopped and opened his eyes with a wince, “Sheriff?”

“Yeah, just me though looks like you’re a deputy now. Go on back to sleep.”

“But can’t let him get away.”

“You won’t. Rest and before you know it, you’ll be on the trail again.”

William nodded and smiled at being called deputy before closing his eyes once again, “Yes, sheriff, won’t let him get away.”

As Bill leaned back in his chair he said, “No, you won’t. You’re doin’ a good job.”

He wasn’t sure if William heard him or not but soon he was sleeping and Bill settled into his seat. There wasn’t anything pressing for him in Wheelsy and he’d write notes for everyone who should know but for now, he’d stay here.


End file.
